


The Loss Of A Potions Master

by DirtyLilGreaseMonkey



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Inspired by Real Events, M/M, character comparison, tribute to Alan Rickman (kind of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 09:23:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5738269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DirtyLilGreaseMonkey/pseuds/DirtyLilGreaseMonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert learns of the death of Alan Rickman a.k.a Severus Snape</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Loss Of A Potions Master

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what possessed me to write this but I was devastated at the loss of someone so dear to the Harry Potter world and thinking about Snape got me thinking about Robert and how their characters are similar in a lot of ways hence this rambling mess.
> 
> Basically I am Robert in this story minus the character comparison - yes I was a blubbering mess when I heard the news.

Robert was just milling around the house on a rare day off when he heard the news, it flashed up on his phone like a beacon indicating yet another untimely death. A message retweeted by someone he vaguely remembered but the words struck him to his very core.

**Alan Rickman giant of British stage and screen dies aged 69.**

It was only a few weeks ago he’d made Aaron snuggle up with him on Christmas eve to watch Love Actually, a little tradition of his he’d started a few years back when he’d bought the DVD and one he wanted to share on their first Christmas together as a proper couple.

As he read the article his eyes began to water. 

**Much loved star of stage TV and films including Harry Potter and Die Hard – and owner of one of the most singular voices in acting – has died in London.**

He often forgot he played the bad guy in one of his Dad’s favourite films. He remembered spending hours with his Dad and Andy watching him in Die Hard as the super villain Hans Gruber. 

He chuckled at the memory of Andy and him repeating John McClane’s words whenever their Dad left the room and he breathed them now as he continued to read,

“Yippie-Ki-Yay, Motherfucker!” the profanity causing his tears to flow nonstop until he was sobbing clutching his chest and rocking back and forth on the sofa his phone slipping from his hand. 

After he’d calmed down a little he couldn’t bring himself to read the rest of the article instead he scrolled through his twitter feed and almost all of the tweets were quotes from Alan or fans of Harry Potter offering their condolences. 

That’s what caused the worse of the tears; the fact that not only Alan Rickman was dead but so was Severus Snape, the one character played by Alan that Robert would forever hold in his heart. A character he empathised with, one who for all intense and purpose was a bad guy, a villain but once you got to know him you realised all he was guilty of was falling in love with the wrong person and holding onto that love so tight even after they'd gone. Snape was the ultimate double agent wearing his disguise so well he had us all fooled until he showed his true self, something Robert could relate to. In a way, everyone used to think he was a bad guy, Aaron included until he’d shown his true self, someone that was capable of love and loyalty to those he cared for the most.

He decided to post something for himself, a little reminder that the half-blood prince would live in his heart forever and using the hash tag, 

#Always 

In honour of Snapes infamous line.

_After all thing time?_

_Always._

After scrolling through his timeline again he thought about ringing Finn just to make sure he was alright but thought against it, he didn’t want to have to be the one to break the news to him if he didn’t already know. Instead he busied himself with some mundane tasks putting his iPhone on shuffle hoping the music would drown out any remaining sadness. But as he set about folding the washing his mind wondered back to the loss he felt even though he had no right to, he hadn’t known Alan Rickman personally, just his work, but somehow he still felt like a piece of him, what Aaron would call his ‘geek heart’ was missing and the sobbing took over once again as he thought about that loss and in the end he knew he’d been like that, uncontrollable sobs wreaking through his chest until he was in the arms of the only person who had ever comforted him, Aaron.

His face stained with the streaks of yet another round of tears he picked up his phone and typed out a quick text 

> R: I need a hug 

He busied himself with another meaningless task until his phone bleeped with a reply

> A: I'll be home soon x

The text setting off yet another bout of tears. 

Aaron came through the door after work calling Roberts name, he’d been worried about him ever since he’d gotten his message. 

“Robert!”

“Robert!” Aaron repeated until he found Robert curled up on the sofa. 

“You okay?” Aaron asked he arms held out wide inviting Robert in.

Robert looked up and choked out a small sob and he clambered up and into Aarons awaiting arms.

“You’re not okay are you? 

Robert sniffed and shook his head.

“Is this about Snape?” Aaron puzzled when he saw the redness around his eyes. 

Robert snorted at how obvious his mourning was.

“Come here ya big softie,” Aaron chuckled pulling Robert into his chest and folding them onto the sofa as Roberts emotions took over him again.

Aaron made shushing noises and rubbed his back as Robert sobbed into his chest. Aaron knew the books and the films meant a lot to Robert but never this much.

“Sorry,” Robert mumbled as the sobs subsided wiping away the snot dripping from his nose.

“Don’t look at me I’m disgusting,” he cried as he cover his face with his hands. 

“Don’t be daft, Aaron laughed before looking at the state of his boyfriend and adding a drawn out,

“Well………..”

“Oi,” Robert shoved his shoulder with a smile,

“Thanks.”

“What for?” Aaron asked just glad Robert was smiling again; he hated to see him upset.

“Not taking the piss.”

“There’s still time yet,” Aaron joked. 

“Wanna tell me what’s going on?” he asked as Robert cuddled into his side again needing the comfort Aaron brought him. 

“It’s just I can’t believe he’s gone ya know?” 

“I didn’t know you cared so much.” 

“I didn’t either but he’s……..he’s Snape,” Robert shrugged looking up at Aaron like that was explanation enough for his current state.

Aaron thought for a moment, even though he’d watched the films with Robert he’d never really taken that much interest so it took him a few seconds to place the name.

“Snape, the potions master, but really he wants the dark arts right?” Aaron nodded enthusiastically pleased with himself he’d actually remembered.

“Yep,” Robert said sadly,

“That’s him but he was so much more.”

“Really?” Aaron questioned.

Robert got up from the sofa and began to pace in front of Aaron tugging at his hair, he’d thought about it all afternoon and if he was honest Snape reminded him of what he was like before Aaron, before he knew what real love felt like, before he knew what it meant to love. But in the end Snape had turned out to be a hero, not that Robert was a hero far from it but falling in love with Aaron had changed him just like it had changed Snape.

“He….he was me,” Robert started.

“What are you on about ya muppet?” Aaron stared at him in disbelief, from what he could recall Snape was a baddie, he hated Harry so why would Robert compare himself to him?

“Snape he was me, I was Snape.” 

“Eh?”

“Before I met you I was the villain, the bad guy,” Robert began trying to explain his irrational thoughts. 

“Rob,” Aaron reached out wanting him to know he wasn’t that person anymore. 

“Oh come off it Aaron I was, we both know it’s true, I lied just to get what I wanted, the same way Snape deceived so many.”

“Are you really comparing yourself to a fictional character?” Aaron marvelled at Roberts nerd brain.

“Just let me finish,” Robert insisted.

Aaron sat back and crossed his arms and watched as Robert paced and rambled on,

“Snape was….is the ultimate double agent is spent years being a death eater just like I spent years working my way up Lawrence’s company.”

“Are you trying to say Lawrence is Voldermort in this story because I like that idea,” Aaron jested but noticing Roberts glare he made a zipping motion across his mouth indicating he’d be quiet for the rest of his impending speech.

“He did things unspeakable things just so they would trust him but that was him, not really. Just before he dies we can see in the pensieve is a man completely different from what we thought, even though he played at being your stereotypical villain he wasn’t. Yes he was mean and yes he resented Harry but only because he loved lily so much the way I love you.” 

Aaron wanted to scoff at the idea he was being compared to the dead women in this scenario but didn’t want to face Roberts wrath if he interrupted again so he kept quiet plus he did love how animated Robert was about a subject close to his geek heart.

“I know I’m not as noble as Snape, I wasn’t loyal to you not at first but I am now and if I could produce a patronus it would undoubtedly match yours.” 

“A patronus?” Aaron dared to ask.

“A spell that conjures up a magical guardian, a projection of all your positive feelings.” 

“Oh the ball of light thingy,” Aaron remembered watching Harry trying to conjure something by a lake.

“Yes,” Robert nodded his heart swelling as he looked at Aaron, he knew he didn’t understand the significance of the spell but he loved him for trying,

“The point I’m trying to make is everyone had labelled him a monster just like me, a monster, even you remember, but I’m not, not anymore and that’s because of you. We proved them all wrong didn’t we?” he smiled as he grabbed Aarons hand in his.

“It was you, my ability to fall in love with you that changed me, made me a better man just like Snapes love of Lily redeemed him my love for you redeemed me.” 

“It wasn’t me Robert, it was you, it was always there it just took a death, a hostage situation and a few punches for you to realise it,” Aaron sadly reminded him of the things they had had to overcome to be together. 

Robert pulled their intertwined hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of Aarons hand and breathing the words, 

“I love you Aaron,” onto his skin. 

“Come here ya big geek,” Aaron called as he pulled Robert down into his embrace. 

He kissed back into his soft blonde hair that was stuck up all over the place from Roberts need to run his hands through it, an indication to Aaron just how stressed he was about the whole thing. 

“I love you too.”

Aaron just held Robert for a while his hand running up and down his back soothingly and as the light in the room grew dark he shifted slightly causing Robert to open his eyes and sigh,

“I should ring Finn.”

“Finn?” 

“Yeah ya know, he’ll be upset too and he hasn’t got you to comfort him has he?” Robert stated feeling a little sorry for his bespectacled friend. 

“True,” Aaron smiled and with one final kiss into his hair he untangled himself from Robert leaving him to phone his geeky mate.

When Aaron came back into the room after shoving two frozen pizzas in the oven he was a little unsure of his idea when he saw how red Roberts eyes were from his phone call with Finn but he said it anyway hoping Robert would appreciate the gesture.

“Hey look what I found,” he declared holding up the harry potter box set he’d bought Robert for Christmas.

“Want to put one on?” he asked hesitantly trying to gauge Roberts reaction.

“That would be nice,” Robert smiled up at Aaron; he still found it hard to comprehend how much Aaron knew him. 

Aaron set the DVD up and handing the remote to Robert he walked away.

“Where are you going?” Robert panicked he didn’t think he could watch on his own.

“Just gonna grab some food you want anything?” Aaron asked his voice full of concern.

“I’m not hungry,” Robert mumbled. 

Aaron knew that would be Roberts answer but he’d still put two pizzas in knowing that as soon as Robert began to feel better he’d be hungry and as he brought Robert a plate full of pizza back from the kitchen setting it down in front of him Robert still insisted,

“I said I wasn’t hungry.”

“Yeah but I am,” Aaron replied biting into a slice earning him a smile from Robert. 

As Aaron ate Robert buried himself into the crook of Aarons arm, snuggling into him on the sofa, his hand firmly intertwined with Aarons as he pressed play. As the tell-tale music began he squeezed Aarons hand thankful for his patience and his love even though he knew he didn’t deserve it sometimes.

And as the complex villain burst through the door and the infamous voice boomed through the surround sound it was Aarons turn to squeeze Roberts hand.

_There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such I don’t expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and the exact art that is potion making however for those select few who possess the predisposition I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death._

As he Snape told his class that _‘clearly fame isn’t everything’_ Robert stole a slice of pizza just like Aaron knew he would. After Robert had eaten he snuggled back into the warmth that was Aaron his arm wrapping around Aarons waist where it belonged and they settled down to watch the rest of The Philosopher’s Stone. 

A fitting tribute to a truly memorable character.

**Author's Note:**

> The artcile Robert read.
> 
> http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/14/alan-rickman-giant-of-british-film-and-theatre-dies-at-69
> 
> For more incessant rambling find me on tumblr - starkidsarah


End file.
